This invention relates to a bee nesting box and more particularly to a leafcutter bee nesting box. Leafcutter bees are widely used in the United States and Canada to cross-pollinate alfalfa plants to ensure seed production. Leafcutter bee growers normally use a nesting box which is filled with bee larvae and then transported to bee buyers who then incubate and hatch the bee larvae, or they can sell just the cocoons after they have been extracted from the box. After the larvae have hatched, the growers normally desire to dispose of the nesting box to prevent parasites and diseases from spreading to clean bee growing areas. If the boxes are not disposable, the next hatch of bees could be in infested with parasites and subjected to disease transmitted by the nesting boxes.
It is therefore a principal object of the invention to provide a disposable leafcutter bee nesting box.
A further object of the invention is to provide a bee nesting box which is economical of manufacture.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a bee nesting box which is designed to prevent parasites from boring from one bee tunnel to another.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a bee nesting box designed to prevent parasites from boring into the outermost bee tunnels formed therein.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a bee nesting box comprised of sawdust and shredded paper so that the box may be disposed of by incineration.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a bee nesting box comprised of sawdust and paper so that the box will "breathe".
Still another object of the invention is to provide a bee nesting box wherein the bee tunnels are cylindrical which aids in parasite prevention.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a bee nesting box comprised of a wood material.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a leafcutter bee nesting box which is lightweight.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a method of manufacturing a bee nesting box and to provide the necessary apparatus for producing the bee nesting box of this invention.
These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.